LETTER OF THE DAY: Crime bills scare me to death
Published:Wednesday | June 16, 2010 | 12:00 AM
THE EDITOR, Sir:
THE NEW crime bills being proposed by the Government are scaring me to death. The worst thing you can be in Jamaica is a black man between 19 and 35 years old. It does not matter if you have a good character and are working hard to be the best you can be; it is just not safe, and gangsters and thugs are not your biggest problem.
I am begging the Government not to implement the new crime bills as they are now. The crime bills should only consist of legislation that will increase the Jamaica Constabulary Force's technological capability to investigate crimes. An example would be to allow for DNA testing to be done in assisting with investigations by the police.
In order to dismantle garrisons and get rid of the dons, the Government, banking sector and the private sector must provide the two most important things that the dons provide for the people in these communities: which are security and financial opportunities. To be a don, you have to be able to protect the people in the community, especially children and the elderly; and believe it or not, they do that. It is now common for the dons to give loans to person to start businesses, go to school or even overseas. And, I am not talking about the tiny loans banks and other lending agencies offer at present to persons from the inner city.
Furthermore, most individuals will rather go to the don than the police, because when the police comes, there is no telling what they will do. Gone are the days when you can call the police because you see someone hiding a gun in your yard, because when they come, someone will die for that gun, and quite often, it is the caller's son or a male relative that dies.
To truly fight crime in Jamaica we need members of the police force who will motivate our young men. The police have enough power to give the young men of this country all the power they need to achieve. To fight crime, we also must insist that fathers accompany their spouse and children to the doctor; and fathers must be able to receive paternity leave to be with their new born.
I am, etc.,
Jason Daye
Kingston